Raisin-seeder.



W2 ANDERSON.

' EAISIN SBEDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAE Z2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Mar. i5

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W. C. ANDERSON.

RAISIN SEEDER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAB.. 22.1909.

Patented Mai. 15, 19m.

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WILLIAM C. ANDERSON, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

RAISIN-SEEDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM C. ANDER- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San J ose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Raisin- Seeders, of which the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to that class of raisin-seeders in which an impaling cylinder' provided with spaced circumferential rows of teeth or pins is employed in conjunction with an opposing pressure roll, a seed-removing device to take the seeds from the points of the teeth or pins, and pulp-strip pers operating in the spaces between the circumferential rows to remove the pulp or meatof the raisins impaled upon the teeth or pins.

The improvement or feature of my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the pulpstrippers which I shall hereinafter fully describe and set forth in the claims.

Concerning pulp-strippers, it may be said that the most usual type of these found in the practical art consists of a series of fmgers, independently pivoted at one end upon a fixed rod, their other ends entering the spaces between the rows of teeth of the impaling cylinder, and resting upon the bottom or floor of said spaces, said lingers substantially filling in width the spaces, so that as the cylinder rotates toward them, they force the raisins off the teeth and scrape out all pulp and gum from the bottoms and sides of the spaces. As the rotation of the cylinder is toward the points of the fingers, they must be so mounted as to yield to unexpected resistance, and as they substantially lill the spaces, the latter must be made very uniform and smooth, a resultwhich can be approximated in the common types of built-up cylinders made of a series of alternating disks of two diameters, those of larger diameter having their peripheries formed with teeth and those of smaller diameter having their peripheries smooth. But with other types of impaling cylinders in which inserted teeth or pins are employed, the problem of providing very accurate spacesxor grooves between the pin-rows is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1909.

itatented Mar. i5, 19310.

Serial No. 484,856.

more diflicult one, and can only be approximated by more delicate and expensive constructions.

Another type of pulp-stripper has heretofore been suggested which possesses features well adapting it for use with any of the forms of impaling cylinders. This type is a wire, independent of the cylinder, which lies in the bottom of the space or groove between the pin-rows, said wire entering the groove tangentially in advance of the line of raisin-feed, and emerging therefrom tangentially at a point beyond the seed-removing device. At the emergence point the pulp is, of course, forced out. Such a pulpstripper has many advantages, unnecessary for me to point out in detail. But to reach its highest efliciency it should also possess simplicity of construction; accuracy of position; ability to maintain such position; should present no interference to the rotation of the impaling cylinder; and, finally, should be capable of being easily put in place, and of being removed when necessary.

These are the objects of my invention, and are the results which flow from my i1nprovenient in pulp-strippers of this wiretype.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a raisin-seeder containing my improvement. Fig. 2, front view, enlarged and bro-ken, of the impaling cylinder, showing the application thereto of the pulp-strippers. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same, and of the opposing pressure roll. Fig. 4L is a cross section on line fc-zc of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. l, 1 is the frame of the machine, from which rises a bracket 2, which carries a top bar 3, from which is hung by the links 1l, the feed-shaker 5, which is operated by the crank shaft 6 and connecting rod 7. ln the frame l, is mounted, in adjustable boxes 8, the pressure roll 9 of suitable type, usually one with a yielding surface. In the frame, in frontof the pressure roll, is also mounted the impaling cylinder 10, to which rotation is imparted by suitable means. rThis impaling roll may be of any suitable type, provided with radially projecting teeth or pins 11 arranged in spaced circumferential rows, thus leaving circumferential grooves between them. The pins or teeth are, as usual set so close together as to exclude from between them, the seeds of the raisins. rThe feed-shaker 5 delivers to a hopper 12, which directs the raisins to the space between the converging surfaces of the impaling cylinder and pressure roll. In the frame 1, below the impaling cylinder, is mounted the seed-remover, which in this case is illustrated as a blade 13, the upper end of which is in such proximity to the teeth of the cylinder, as to knock off the seeds clinging to the points of the teeth. Across the front of frame 1 is mounted a rod 15, in any suitable manner, here shown as resting in yokes 1G of the frame.

17 are the pulp -strippers These are spring wires. They are sprung into the interdental circumferential grooves of the impaling cylinder, their inner ends lying free and snug, and without other connection than the pressure which their own resiliency affords. They begin in the grooves at a point sufficiently in advance of the line of raisin feed from the hopper 12 to insure the maintenance of their position, and thence extend around the back of the cylinder lying close in the groove bottoms, and around the lower arc of the cylinder to a point well past the seed-fiicking blade 13; thence they emerge tangentially, and arc secured at their outer ends to the frame rod 15. The form of connection with the rod may be of any suitable character; but the best form is to spring them over the rod by means of terminal hooks 1S. The pulp-strippers may be. readily removed or replaced by s pringing them oft' or on the cylinder and rod. By making these strippers of spring-wire, their inner ends need no fastenings, nor are they required to both enter and leave the grooves at a tangent as would be the case if their inner ends were fastened to the frame as well as their outer ends, a construction which would cause them to act, more or less, as an impeding brake to the rotation of the cylinder. But by springing them in as described, their inner ends lie fully in the groove, and are held by their resiliency, while the whole stripper is held securely in place, not only by its springiness, but by the pressure of the pulp upon it. and by the resistance to thrust which its fastening at its outer end to the rod 15 affords. At the same time its resistance to cylinder rotation is negligible.

The seed-Hicking blade 13 is mounted so that it can be vertically adjusted to proper position with relation to the points of the cylinder teeth. This is done by fitting its ends in slots 19 in the frame sides, supporting them on adjusting screws 20 and setting them by steadying side-screws 21. ft is important that this adjustment of the seed-flicking blade be made with accuracy, and that. its position be known at all times, for if set too high it will strip the cylinder teeth, and if set too low many seeds will be mixed with the raisins. Ordinarily, the seedflicking blade is not exposed to convenient sight. It can only be set from an inconvenient, imperfect and partially lighted view, which results in too frequent reliance on guesswork. To avoid this I make a sight opening 22 at the top of the slot 19, one in each side of the frame 1, opposite the end of the blade, so that the relation of the working edge of the blade to the points of the cylinder teeth can readily be determined and maintained at all times.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a raisin-seeder, the combination of a rotatable impaling cylinder provided with spaced circumferential rows of teeth; an opposing pressure roll; a seed-removing device at a point beyond the divergence of the cylinder from the roll; a series of pulpstrippers consisting of independent spring wires, having their inner ends lying resiliently in the bottoms of the circumferential interdental spaces of the iinpaling cylinder at a point in advance of the convergence of the surfaces of the cylinder and roll, thence extending and lying resiliently in the bottoms of said spaces to a point beyond the seed-removing device, and thence emerging tangentially from said spaces; and a fixed bearing for the outer ends of said wires.

2. In a raisin-seeder, the combination of a rotatable impaling cylinder provided with spaced circumferential rows of teeth; an opposing pressure roll; a. seed-removing device at a point beyond the divergence of the cylinder from the roll; a series of pulpstrippers consisting of independent spring wires, having their inner ends lying resiliently in the bottoms of the circumferential interdental spaces of the impaling cylinder at a point in advance of the convergence of the surfaces of the cylinder and roll, thence extending and lying resiliently in the bottoms of said spaces to a point beyond the seed-removing device, and thence emerging tangentially from said spaces, said wires having their outer ends formed with hooks; and a fixed rod over which said hooks of the wires are sprung.

3. In a raisin-seeder, the combination of a rotatable impaling cylinder provided with spaced circumferential rows of teeth; pulpstrippersconsisting of independent spring wires each having its inner extremity lying resiliently in the bottom of the top portion of a circumferential interdental space of the In testimony whereof I have signed my cylinder, said Wire thence extending and lyname to this specification in the presence of ing resiiiently in the bottoni of the descendtwo subscribing Witnesses.

ing and lower portion of said space, and WILLIAM C. ANDERSON. 5 thence emerging from said lower' portion Witnesses:

tangentialiy; and a iiXed bearing for the WM. F. BOOTH,

outer ends of said Wires. D. B. RICHARDS. 

